If you are one of those wiper moms, who hovers like a helicopter, wet wipe in hand….or maybe if you just have to fight that urge to constantly clean your little Groovy Adventurer’s grubby face and hands…then this post is for you!!!!
Getting messy is more than just loads of fun…it actually is quite important for your growing Groovy Adventurer! Just as a tree needs firm roots that are well nurtured and watered in order for the tree to grow and bear fruit, so too do our little cherubs need strong foundational sensory skills in order for more advanced and integrated skills to develop.
When your Groovy Adventurer is elbow or knee deep in messy play his touch receptors are maturing and developing. This means that when he holds something in his hands he can tell how big or small it is, how hard or soft it is, whether it is hot or cold or if its smooth or rough! All this information helps your little one’s brain to know what they are holding, even if his eyes can’t see it. This is an important skill for later on in life when your little one grows up into a mom with one of those huge bags filled with everything but the kitchen sink in it, or a dad who needs to work the remote while keeping eyes peeled to the game! Being able to identify what you are holding and where something is touching you also helps your little angel to gauge his force and direction of his movements. You will see that this skill is still developing when he hits the Traveller or the Adventurer stage, this may be why he finds it hard to close doors quietly or be gentle when holding the hamster or petting the dog! When your clever Adventurer gets to school all the messy play will pay off when he knows how tightly or softly he has to hold his pencil and how hard he has to press when colouring in without tiring!
So next time you feel the urge to clean up the mess, sit back and relax in the knowledge that your little leader of tomorrow is working on his fine motor skills!!! Even if what he is doing is not near fine!
Yours in Mess!!
Lourdes
